Three's a crowd
by Libby-Jane
Summary: This is set when Bella first comes to Forks, however in the Cullen house there is not just one bachelor, but two. Jasper and Edward. They can both relate to Bella in different ways; but in harmony to their gifts. please R&R. Dont own rights to characters
1. Chapter 1

Introduction:

This is set when Bella first comes to Forks, however in the Cullen house there is not just one bachelor, but two. Jasper and Edward. They can both relate to Bella in different ways; but in harmony to their gifts.

Chapter 1

JPOV

This life is very different from the one I know, I feel… love.

Not the superficial stuff, or the boyfriend/girlfriend kind, but the sort that binds a family. And what an odd family we are; there's Rosalie, a beauty with a fiery temperament, entwined in that temperament is a strong loyalty for all those she loves. Emmett is the strongest of us all, he's a brother; strong, protective, fun, dopy. Edward, a mind reader, the eldest of the 'kids', he's loyal and welcoming. There's Carlisle and Esme, the sort of foster parents; loving, caring, understanding, compassionate, you get the hint. Then of course there's me, an emotional influence. We are the Cullen's.

I have always been aware of the emotional ties to taking a life unnecessarily, however I have also felt the pure satisfaction it does for my thirst. I could be so bold as to say that vampires aren't supposed to live off animals, but in saying that; I wouldn't have it any other way. You could say that I am the weakest of my family with this new diet, well, I really should stop saying it is new considering I have lived off it for over three decades.

For two years we have lived out at Forks, never fitting in, which isn't new. Humans seem to be attracted, but repelled at the same time. This suits me fine; I never want to fell that desperate longing for human blood again. Forks is a dreary place of about 3000 residents. I was completely bored with the same emotions; school girl love and lust, sorrow, anger. The same girls trying to capture the same boys' attention. The same teachers giving the same boys detentions. It rains, snows, shines and then repeats the process over and over.

Until the most extraordinary girl arrives. Isabella swan. She is confident, however incredibly shy, with rich brown eyes, pale skin, and unruly hair. There is this classic, plain beauty. It is hard to resist the pull of her emotions. She feels unhappiness for being here in forks, but then there's undoubted embarrassment for coming to a new school, I don't blame her considering that Mike is already harassing her. She hits biology in the afternoon of her first day and a tidal waves of emotions hit me from her; intrigue, mortification, rage.

EDWARD.

She feels so much at such intensity. I have grown used to feeling like a grandpa with all these young people. So many mortals wish they could have their life over, relive the years of their prime. Believe me, it becomes terribly tiresome when you repeat everything over and over. Being amongst people who are experiencing everything for the first time; romance, pain, rejection, blissfulness… everything, it makes me feel lifeless. They have not fully experienced every emotion, so they feel so much everyday. Maybe I am the only one feeling this way, maybe it is because I am so in touch with everyone else's emotions that I cannot fully experience my own.

Isabella was just so different from the other girls, I felt this maturity to her emotions. I have never felt that from another before and it scared me. Her intensity and her maturity is so different to what know. It's sort of compelling.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

EPOV

It has been a month since Bella came to town, and might I say that she is the new attraction indeed. First she has the regular two: Mike and Eric. They are undeniably the worst offenders for day dreaming about her. However I can hardly say that I am an outsider on this. I too have had my thoughts about her, mind you; I am thoroughly more subtle about my intentions. There are so many reasons why I should stay away, all of which revolve around the fact of what I am. Only one reason keeps me holding on; I cannot read her mind. That has got to count for something right? How can I sit idly by and watch all the other boys take turn to present their pathetic attempts at attracting her?

I think I deserve a chance to win her affections.

I do have to admit that in the past month I have been sort of preparing, you could say. Since that first meeting in biology I have been desensitising myself to her scent, if I want a chance I cannot think once about her flavour, for if I lose control once, it will ruin my family. Besides, what kind of example would I be to jazz?

I would do it today, I will say hello. I fought through the babble of others thoughts inside my head. Ah, I could find her easily now, since she was always around Bella: Jessica Stanley, Bella's friend, sort of, making her way to the cafeteria. I would have to wait till another day when Bella would find herself away from her fan club.

_Sometimes it's like she isn't even listening to me. _

Jessica was feeling sorry for herself again.

_I wish that Mike would stop looking at her, I am prettier! I am not wearing sweats. Look at my blouse; I am wearing a low- cut top for him! _

That was one punishment I went through everyday in my pursuit for Bella, listening to Jessica.

"Hi Mike!" I watch Jessica skip into the cafeteria flaunting her specially dressed body in such a way that if I could vomit, I would.

It did make me chuckle though when Mike didn't take his eyes off the clumsy girl following her.

"Hey jess, hey Bella!" he didn't know how to hide his enthusiasm well.

"Hey," she just answered shyly. I watched her intently. I have thought it often, but it is times like this when I really wish I could hear her. I want to consume her soft, undemanding voice. I want to be able to seek her out personally and see life through her eyes.

_Wait._ I chided myself.

Days pass, I cannot pry her away from all her friends. I cannot wait any longer.

I see her shuffling through the cold next to Mike, Angela, Eric, Jess, and a few others. I had replayed it in my mind a few times.

I walk up to her, "hello, my name is Edward Cullen, you probably already know that, but I was just wondering if…" I had never got further. If what? I had nothing that I could possibly ask her, and I didn't want to sound petty.

I just leaned on the wall as I watch them walk past. I will ask her for some homework sheet. The only class I had with her was Biology and since Miram, another girl in the class left, she was reassigned to sit next to Angela.

As silly as it sounds, I quickly did a lap around a class room, so that I would be walking towards them again. I kept walking, searching for Jessica's thoughts. She just walked into English. DAMN. I had missed out. Argh! I was so ready that time. I took every bit of self control I had not to punch a wall.

Instead I just stormed out into the damp, gloomy forest behind our school. There; I would be free to have a temper-tantrum; I know it sounds silly and childish. But I have been alone almost a century, and this is the closest I have ever come to finding someone. Granted, it is not an ideal situation, she is a very delicious human, but do I not owe it to myself to try?

For the first time, my mind veers from the usual path of how I am going to talk to her next, but the potential of a relationship of this sort. There's; changing her, letting her grow old, both of these require a certain impossible detail; she would have to know about what I are, and that in itself is not viable.

Every thing points to not possible, and "don't even bother, Edward" but I still keep trying, why?

I tried to erase this all from my head, as best as I can. I sought through all her friends heads, none of them are with her. This is my chance. I walked as 'human' as I can, I tried to drag my feet and look bored as I walked to the car park. Her filthy bomb is gone. I walked into the forest on the other side of the road, deep enough so I cannot be seen, it is here that I began to run, always smelling the air for her scent, the richest being the freshest. It becomes stronger, and then I saw her red pick up on the side of the road. Maybe it is broken down or something; that wouldn't surprise me. I smooth my shirt go back to human speed walking. I have this feeling that I have grown accustomed to, I don't really know what it is; Jasper thinks its nerves. He also said anxiety and excitement. I am nervous, anxious, and excited to talk to her finally. I heard a girl talking about having butterflies in her stomach when she is nervous, I thought at the time 'how ridiculous!', but now, it doesn't really feel so silly. I kind of can feel them doing somersaults and flips, I guess?

'Calm yourself' I whispered to myself as I got closer and closer to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

BPOV

Since coming here, I have been accepted more than I really wanted to. I really enjoyed blending into the wallpaper at my old school, but here with Jessica and Mike and all the rest, it is really hard just to mind your own business. It's kind of childish that they have to know everything about everybody; well, that's really just Jessica. Don't get me wrong and all, she's nice, just she thrives off attention and honestly, I don't really know why I hang out with her so much, we are so different.

I have this fascination with a family at Forks, Jessica has done her best to inform me about all of them, but I cannot help but wonder more. I am also sure that Jess has had a sour relationship with one of them. She says some kind of weird things, like "he's too good for any of us", "he won't ask any one to prom, I bet you.", and "I wouldn't mind going to prom with either of them."

Apparently there is six in total: Carlisle and Esme Cullen, who are the foster parents, and then there is Rosalie Hale who came to the Cullen's because her parents died, there's Jasper Whitlock who apparently had drug addicts for parents, and then there is Emmett and Edward Cullen who were adopted from the system when they were really young. That's why they took their foster parents last names.

I heard someone else say that Jasper has mental issues from his mother taking drugs while carrying him. Someone else said that Esme couldn't have children and that's why she adopted.

School is boring and I often feel smothered so when the school day is over, I give and receive hugs and goodbyes before I drive myself home in my truck.

Today wasn't any different, I hugged Jess, Angela, and got hugs from Mike and Eric and waved goodbye to the others before getting into my wonderful Chevy and heading home. I was just listening to the static radio when suddenly I heard a thundering bang and the steering wheel was wrenched to the right. I was suddenly gasping for breath as I pulled the wheel back hard to the left and slamming my foot on the break. I could hear my heart beat in my ears. My truck came to a stop on the side of the road. I looked around; there was thick forest on either side of the road; nothing unusual and I knew were I was, which was really no use to me since I didn't have a phone to contact anyone.

Slowly I opened the door and got out. I didn't know anything about cars, only that the engine is at the front and the round thing that rotate when you drive are tyres. One of my tyres was really shredded. I now knew what was wrong, but I had absolutely no idea how to fix it. I just sat on the bonnet of my car and waited for someone.

I had to be waiting there for only about ten minutes, when out of the forest came the most unlikely of saviours. Edward Cullen, the only other time I had had direct contact with him was in my first biology lesson, which wasn't the most pleasant memory.

His eyes bore straight into mine as he approached, I didn't really know what to say since I had never talked to him before.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Edward Cullen, you probably already know that--"

"Yes, from biology, remember?" I asked curtly, anguish flooded his features for a fraction of a second and ten it was gone.

"Yes I do, I apologise for my ill behaviour that day, what happened to your car?"

"I think something is wrong with the tyre," I lead him to the tyre.

"How did you shred it that badly?" he asked me incredulously

"I don't know, it is an old car"

"Err, old in an understatement." He told me, "Where is your spare tyre?"

"What? I only have four."

"Every car has a spare tyre." He told me as he began searching my car for one.

I just watched his graceful movements as he looked. To my amazement there is one under my car, he easily unscrewed it talking the whole time about cars. He effortlessly lifted the tyre like it weighed nothing. He then began to teach me how to put it on.

"Where's your jack?" he asked, still holding the tyre, "what am I saying," he chuckled to himself, "you wouldn't ever know what that is."

"Sorry," I whispered. He looked up at me with these kind topaz eyes, and smiled. I felt like all the air was sucked out of me. I couldn't breathe and I thought that was a bad feeling, but I was then gasping for breath. His eyes returned to my face and for an instance he stayed where he was, with the tyre. The next instance he was next to me, with worry in his eyes. He was whispering "what happened? Are you okay? Is something wrong? Bella?" his arms were waving, like he wanted to comfort me, but couldn't touch. I loved the way he said my name, like I was special. He knew to call me Bella. I calmed my breathing, and he stepped back, concern still written on his face.

I gathered my thoughts, "why were you walking in the woods?"

His face went from gentle to stern, and fierce in a second, just like in biology. "What did I say?" I asked. He turned to walk away, without giving it any thought I reached out to grab his arm, just as I was about to grasp it, it was gone. I looked down to where it had been. Then I saw the tyre. It was attached to the car, just like all the others. "What? When did you do the tyre?" I asked bewildered. I looked up it find myself alone.

"Edward?" I felt kind of stupid, but nothing was making any sense, he was there and then gone. The world started spinning; I steadied myself against my car, completely confused.

"See you at school, Bella." Edward called. I span around to face him on the other side of my car. "I just had to get my jacket." He said smoothly, normally.

Now my head was spinning, there was this feeling of unease in my stomach and dots started to appear everywhere I looked. The dots were getting larger, until everything was black; I lost my grip on my car, now I was falling.


End file.
